Jacqueline Kennedy’s bloody suit

MSNBC ^ | 22-November-2003 | Pedantic_Lady

[Lijahsbubbe]

However, in the context of today's liberal thought processes, "they" means the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy.

Funny you should mention that. MSNBC had a special on JFK the other nite. Chris Matthews was interviewing Hilary. She said something to the effect of "blah blah blah, I'll never forget when..." and then quoting Jackie, " I want them to see what THEY did to my husband." I believe Hilary repeated that quote, and with emphasis. She was getting her right wing conspiracy point made.

[lambo]

I guess no one else is interested, but I don't think it's fair of you to leave us hanging.

Tell us more.

[lambo]

I should add, my wife went to law school with JFK, Jr., and we were both practicing law in NY during the years the poor guy was trying to pass the bar, so your meeting him's not really all that remarkable to me. But Oswald's daughter? How'd that happen?

[MinuteGal]

Your # 61 was most interesting and is indicative of my previous point. My appreciation for your sharp memory and for posting your recollection.

Leni

[demkicker]

I've probably read 90% of the books written on the subject, and have reached a conclusion that just about ties up all the loose ends. I was 10 at the time, but my parents were able to give me a rather unique perspective on the matter, which fueled my later interest.

I'm curious! Please tell the conclusion you reached that tied up all the loose ends.

[Pedantic_Lady]

Thank you for posting the article regarding the pink suit. I had no idea that it had been donated to the National Archives, for some reason I thought it had been given to Jackie's mother.

The theory is that Jackie's mother donated it to the National Archives.

I wasn't around for the Kennedy assassination, but if it was anything close to the level of the emotion and fear on 9/11, I'm especially glad to have missed it.

[Pedantic_Lady]

You know what I've never understood? What was that business with her crawling over the trunk of the limo? Seems to me your first instinct in a situation like that would be to hold your loved one close to your heart, try to protect him, as Mrs. Connoly did.

She did it to give a Secret Service agent a hand onto the back of the limo. If you see all of the footage and photographs taken of the assassination, it's obvious what she's doing...but the excerpts don't make her look good. When she did that the car was speeding up and the agent was breaking into a full run to make it onto the limo.

[ladylib]

She was grabbing the hand of a secret service officer and trying to pull him into the car.

[Pedantic_Lady]

Nice thread. Most of the replies have been civil and respectful. Regardless of JFK having been a Dem, he was nevertheless, the President of the United States of America. His assassination was a despicable thing and a blow to the honor of the nation. Jackie O was a perfect First Lady in my opinion.

I agree; she was a hard act to follow and in my opinion, nobody has come close to matching her for style, class, and grace...though Pat Nixon's determination to remain dignified as her husband's presidency disintegrated was impressive.

It's horrifying anytime an elected leader is stolen from the public by an assassin, no matter what party he's from.

[Pedantic_Lady]

I may be the only Freeper to have met both John Kennedy, Jr. and Lee Oswald's daughter.

It's entirely possible!

[Pedantic_Lady]

I doubt she was blaming the country.

I think people are reading way too much into her use of the word "they."

[Pedantic_Lady]

Not to gross anyone out here, but I remember reading that Jackie climbed onto the trunk to retrieve a portion of her husband's skull. If I'm recalling correctly, she said she was acting on autopilot and not thinking of her safety, but only trying to help her husband. I can't even imagine the trauma she suffered that day. I don't remember JFK's assassination (only 3 at the time), but I do remember how devastated my mother was at Bobby's in 1968. It was a different era.

I've always been told she was giving a secret service agent a hand onto the limo; the photos and films seem to support this.

[Pedantic_Lady]

I always believed that she married him because he was so rich and she thought he could protect her and her kids. By marrying him, she got the kids out of the country and away from all the other Kennedy kids.

Now that you mention it, I'd heard rumblings about that myself...that she didn't really like the Kennedy clan as a whole and didn't want her kids hanging out with them. Can't say she succeeded with JFK Jr., but she did a bang-up job with Caroline.

[gingerky]

I've always thought it looked like she was trying to get away too and nobody should judge her. Part of JFK's head was blown off and I've always thought it horrified her to see him that way and she was trying to get away. I also think she was trying to get to the secret service guys for protection.

[two23]

I was 7 and it was announced over the PA system at school...my teacher broke down---others heard crying in the hallways. Watched the funeral procession at my grandmothers house and those images are burned in.
Those were weird times: Air Raid Drills (hit the floor/get under the desk)--having to be drilled for the locations of all the local fallout shelters--announcements that "sometime today an aircraft will be breaking the sound barrier nearby"..(and sometimes not announced: crack-BOOM)

[aristeides]

I remember hearing a quote. When asked if she wanted to change clothes she said no...let them see what they have done. Who was "they"?

For an answer -- and an indication of what the Kennedys thought about the assassination -- read Farewell America: The Plot to Kill JFK (partly based on the investigation Daniel Patrick Moynihan did of the assassination for RFK).

[aristeides]

I think she was tring to climb out of the car to get away.

Didn't John Connally say out loud, "They're going to kill us all"? I assume Jackie would have heard that.

[VOA]

However, I can only see two shots when supposedly three were fired. Do you know when
the third shot was supposedly fired? Was it before or after the two clear shots (or in between)?

As much as I hate to admit it, PBS's "FrontLine" show had a pretty good
recounting of Oswald's meandering life and appointment with destiny in Dallas.

FrontLine showed some digital recreations from Failure Analysis (which do court-room
recreations of crime scenes).

This presentaion included a "sniper's-eye view" from the sixth floor of the book depository.
Their scenario claims 3 shots in 8 seconds.
Shot #1 was a miss.
Shot #2 was the JFK throat shot, with the slowed bullet then hitting Connelly in the back,
then exiting Connelly and hitting his arm.
Shot #3 was the devastating head-shot to JFK.

I hadn't seen/heard him before, but a school depository worker who was on the fifth
floor directly under Oswald's "sniper nest" said he heard the three shots and could
even hear the cycling of the bolt action of the rifle.

The documentary was pretty good, included some of the conspiracy theories, and admitted
that there were they simply could not account for some of the time Oswald spent in New Orleans,
where he might have had involvement with The Mob, anti-Castro Cuban expatriates,
or right-wing fringe elements.
There may have been a conspiracy, but if so, it's probably something we'll not
know the details about in this life.

[VOA]

I've always thought it looked like she was trying to get away too and nobody should judge her.

Amen to that.
I've done enough hunting and seen enough gore while working in hospitals...
and I still cringe (and sometimes turn away) when the Zapruder film is shown.
I can imagine plenty of tough guys freaking out in that sort of situation...

[VOA]

Yes, security was not as streamlined as it is today.

1. JFK refused to have the "security bubble" on the convertible. I don't know
how much it would have helped, but reflections might have made it tougher for
a sniper to make a good shot.

2. And I think I've heard that some of JFK's security detail hit the bars a bit
harder than was prudent the night of Nov. 21 and into some of the wee hours of Nov. 22.
(Of course, that may or may not have had any influence on the outcome.)